Given the choice of pumpkin pie or apple pie, I always choose apple. Always. It’s almost as if there is no need to make a choice. Pumpkin pie to me is just meh. But apple pie…how could you not love it? Sweet, tart, buttery…apple pie is the pie of choice for most of us. But can you believe I’ve only made it once? And that was years ago for a church fair where I didn’t even get to taste it! So when Kyle and I went apple picking earlier this fall, I decided it was time to make some pie.

I couldn’t go traditional though. That would be too…conventional. I found this Sour Cream Apple Pie recipe in one of my newer cookbooks and was immediately sold.

It’s got a crumb topping.

Turns out this pie is very much like the Peach Cream Cheese Tarts I made over the summer with a baked custard filling with apples floating throughout the custard. I loved those peach tarts and I loved this pie. Did I say that it’s got a crumb topping? Yeah, it’s got a crumb topping. And I’m not talking about one of those toppings where there isn’t enough to cover the whole pie…this one has plenty of crumbs – big crumbs like you’d find on a good NY crumb cake. You’ll see by the directions below that this is a really easy pie to make. There’s no stress about whether the apples will be soft enough or if the filling will be thick enough – everything works out beautifully with this pie!

So tell me, will apple pie make it to your Thanksgiving table this year?

Set a rack on the lowest level of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Roll out dough on a well-floured surface and transfer to a 9″ pie dish, crimping the edges as desired with fingers or a fork.

To make the filling, place apples in a large saute pan with butter and sugar. Cook over high heat, stirring and tossing, for 5-7 minutes until about half of the apples have dissolved. Transfer the apple mixture to a bowl to cool.

To make the custard, whisk together the flour and sugar in a bowl, then whisk in the eggs, vanilla, and sour cream in that order.

To make the topping, mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, and cinnamon together in a bowl. Pour in the melted butter and stir until the mixture forms a crumbly mass.

Stir the cooked apples into the sour-cream custard filling and pour into the dough-lined pan. Sprinkle the crumbs over the filling.

Bake the pie until the dough is baked through, the filling is set, and the crumbs are a deep golden color, 50-60 minutes. Cool the pie on a rack. This pie is served best when completely cooled at room temperature.

Sour-Cream Apple Piesource: Nick Malgieri, The Modern BakerPrinter-Friendly VersionFor the Apple Filling: 2 lbs Golden Delicious apples, peeled, cored, and sliced 4 tbsp unsalted butter 1/2 cup sugarFor the Sour Cream Custard: 2 tbsp flour 1/4 cup sugar 3 large eggs 1 tsp pure vanilla extract 3/4 cup sour creamFor the Crumb Topping: 1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 cup sugar 1 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon 8 tbsp unsalted butter, meltedOne 9-inch pie crust, unbaked1. Set a rack on the lowest level of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Roll out dough on a well-floured surface and transfer to a 9″ pie dish, crimping the edges as desired with fingers or a fork.2. To make the filling, place apples in a large saute pan with butter and sugar. Cook over high heat, stirring and tossing, for 5-7 minutes until about half of the apples have dissolved. Transfer the apple mixture to a bowl to cool.

3. To make the custard, whisk together the flour and sugar in a bowl, then whisk in the eggs, vanilla, and sour cream in that order.

4. To make the topping, mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, and cinnamon together in a bowl. Pour in the melted butter and stir until the mixture forms a crumbly mass.

5. Stir the cooked apples into the sour-cream custard filling and pour into the dough-lined pan. Sprinkle the crumbs over the filling.

6. Bake the pie until the dough is baked through, the filling is set, and the crumbs are a deep golden color, 50-60 minutes. Cool the pie on a rack. This pie is served best when completely cooled at room temperature.

I love that texture this cake has. I agree, I’m not a huge pumpkin pie fan.

Liz @ Blog is the New Black

YUM! Gorgeous pics.

http://keepitsweet.wordpress.com Lauren at KeepItSweet

i love applie pies with crumb topping, this version looks so delicious

http://thewannabechef.net Evan Thomas

This sounds great! Definitely has a nice moist and rich look to it.

http://flourdusted.blogspot.com/ briarrose

I always go for the apple pie as well. Lovely pie and what a neat filling.

http://sugarcrafter.net Tracy

This looks wonderful! Love the sour cream custard!

http://caffeiiina.blogspot.com Sara

I’m with you! Pumpkin pie ehw…apple pie wow! I just love apple dessert soo much more and this cake with the sour cream custard brings the apple pie to a whole new level! Thanks for sharing

http://www.bonappetithon.com Wendi @ Bon Appetit Hon

I should not have clicked on this post before lunch. Now all I can think of is PIE.

http://sweetebakes.blogspot.com Evan @swEEts

This looks absolutely delicious.. I love crumble top pies! I am bookmarking this and making it sometime in the near future.

http://www.applesandtwinkies.com Ann

Now, I’m dying for apple pie. I love this recipe with the sour cream custard filling.

http://www.sippitysup.com sippitysup.com

This is a special pie. The photos are great too. But it’s that custard that is going to haunt me. GREG

Constance

it was soooo delicious!!! everyone should at least try this pie once! apple pies are my favorite so i try different versions all the time. my sister said it was the best one i ever made!!! thank you so much for sharing

http://www.ccrecipe.com Camala – CC Recipe

Wow, this sounds fantastic and seems quite simple, I think I need to make this pie in the very near future, I have everything I need to make it:)

http://nothingchocolate.wordpress.com/ Donna@NothingChocolate

Hey! Nice twist on apple pie! Looks absolutely scrumptious! I recently discovered Apple Crostata!!! So simple and soooooo delicious! I plan to make and make the crostata…